Have we got the message yet? Love one another. Seriously, how many times are we going to say the same thing?

Bible Study

Friendship

What is the difference between friend and servant?

Friend = mutuality, intimacy

Servant = hierarchy

Can a boss be an employee’s friend?

How can Jesus be both Lord and friend?

“What a friend we have in Jesus” is a classic hymn, written in 1855 by Joseph Scriven.

Obedience

Typically, we don’t associate obedience as a trait of friendship.

Obedience is often seen as a result of domination. A dog obeys. A friend doesn’t.

Obedience often comes on heels of violence.

Jesus’ obedience is not about perpetuating violent, abusive, coercive relationships.

What does Jesus’ obedience look like?

not typical system of hierarchy.

Obedience means obeying commandments.

Commandment is “Love one another.”

To be obedient is to love.

To love implies a lack of hierarchy, subjugation, or coercion.

The way to judge between Christian obedience and Abusive obedience is this, “Is the motivation for this obedience love?” I obeying this perceived instruction, am I loving my neighbor? Am I loving myself? If so, it’s Christian obedience. If not, it’s abuse.

Friends are sought by Jesus, not the other way around.

“Students wishing to learn the Torah sought out a rabbi whose teachings they wanted to emulate. The choice was theirs. but Jesus reverses the order. The decision is his. He chooses his followers” (Charles Cousar,Texts for Preaching, Year B,p. 325).

There is no room for negotiating terms of friendship on our part. There is no place for choosing when and where we should obey. It is a command for all times.

There is no room for elitism for being selected. Friendship is a cause for special treatment. It is a demand for higher expectations.

There is no room for wearing out friendship. The friendship is Jesus’ choosing, so we are not the ones in control of what shape this friendship may take.

Sermon Thoughts and Questions:

Jesus wants to be our friend. It can feel like such a trivial, sentimental thing (see ‘Buddy Jesus’). But think about how many actual friends you have. How many people can you actually count on. Not just to hang out every once in awhile, but to do things like help you move, pick up your kids, show up for dinner on a Tuesday, cry with you when you get crappy news. These people are precious. This is a level of relationship that cannot be overestimated. And the astonishing thing is, Jesus is initiating this friendship with us. Not the other way around.

A way of thinking about the Cross beyond blood atonement. It is the sign for erfect love.

Do we get it yet? It feels like we’ve been saying the same thing for a few weeks, it’s because it’s REALLY IMPORTANT. It’s like John, or maybe just the lectionary, has been writing in CAPS LOCK for the last couple of weeks. This reminds me of Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan from the movieRush Hour,“Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?”

“So let me say it again, love is about obedience, obedience is about love, and God often surprises us about what this all looks like. Can we say that on Sunday? Actually, Working Preacher, saying it is the easy part; it's living it out that will take everything we've got. - David Lose

Psalm Nugget - Psalm 98 - Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (psalmimmersion.com, @pomopsalmist)
Call to Worship (polite but loud)
One: Sing to God something brand new!
Many: For God has done wonderful things!
One: God has not forgotten to love us all!
Many: Even the ends of the earth have heard!
One: Make a joyful noise!
Many: Break forth in song!
One: With strings and horns,
Many: sing praise to the holy One!
One: With the roaring sea and everything living in it!
Many: With all the world and everything living in it!
One: The floods clap their hands.
Many: The hills sing for joy.
One: Thank God he is coming to set everything right:
Many: Justice for everyone, everything fair.
One: Sing to God something brand new!
All: For God has done wonderful things!(Psalm 98, Worldmaking adaptation by Richard Bruxvoort Colligan)

Call to Worship (unruly)
One: Hey! Sing to God something brand new!
Many (loudly): For God has done wonderful things! Hey!
One: God has not forgotten to love us all!
Many (loudly): Even the ends of the earth have heard!
One: Make a joyful noise!
Many (loudly): Hey! Hey! HEY!
One: With symphony and band,
Many (loudly): And all instruments turned up to 11
One: With the roaring sea and everything living in it!
Many (loudly): With all the world and everything living in it!
One: The floods clap their hands.
Many (loudly): The hills sing for joy.
One: Thank God he is coming to set everything right:
Many (loudly): Justice for everyone, everything fair.
One: Hey, sing to God something brand new!
All (loudly): For God has done wonderful things! HEY!!(Psalm 98, Worldmaking adaptation by Richard Bruxvoort Colligan)

God’s commandments may not be difficult (v. 3), but that does not mean they are easy

Christ remains at the center of our faith- the hub which unites love, faith and action. Is Christ always the center of our worship? Our mission? Our programming? Has “Christ” become taboo? Are we overly concerned with inclusion that we are afraid to declare our particularity?

We be one family of God is a very difficult challenge? How do we hold one another in “love” instead of deciding who is and who isn’t a Christian?

We often think of love in great and mighty acts (self-sacrifice,Gift of the Magi, etc) or in the lives of great people (MLK Jr, Gandhi, etc). Perhaps we need to remember consistency of love lived out more often in small ways.

Tasty Wafer of the Week:

The Lion and Lamb Festivalis seeking musicians and speakers. Already featuring friends of the show Heatherlyn and Sarah Renfro.Other participants can apply now. The Festival’s vision is to bring people together to inspire and be inspired by stories of peace, mercy, justice, and love. It is August 8, 2015 in the Quad Cities, Illinois.

CLOSING
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Email - Deb Washer - Finally had time to listen to the interview with Rachel Held Evans. And when you talked about Netflix I wanted to scream "watch Continuum!" If you like sci fi I dare you to watch it and not binge on it. Just a thought for your down time.